Her smile vanishes at the mention of her younger sister's name. She reluctantly answers. "Katie..she was discharged from the hospital Saturday morning...thank you for asking."I was intrigued to further question her regarding the shooting incident. Yet her discomfort at discussing this causes me to refrain from delving anymore.Mr. Mirza cuts the uncomfortable atmosphere short. "Rachael, if you ever have time to spare, I'd like you to acquaint Hazel with the tour of Griffith. ""Oh yes of course. Rachael affirms, She then rummages through her purse and draws out a card, and hands it to me. "You just ring me up to let me know and I'd be happy to schedule a tour for you."I thank her with a lack of enthusiasm and slip the card into my red embroidered clutch. I saw no reason for me to attend college anymore. I had attempted to pick college as an excuse to hinder an arranged marriage which ended up occurring anyway."Rachael, debriefing in twenty minutes." Grigori ends up interrupting ster
Hazel -the table I sit at is laden with halal east Asian food. it's my favorite cuisine. mister mirza was kind enough to have asked me beforehand to create a menu selection of the food I'd prefer to be served.I was looking forward to eating up until the handshake incident. my appetite was gone and my anger was now replaced by glumness as I relapsed into my thoughts."come on! at least break this big fortune cookie the waiter must have brought in for you !" Leila's voice disconnects me from my brooding daydream.I peer down and spot a fortune cookie the size of a lemon sitting on my plate. I hadn't even realized when the waiter had brought this in since I was so lost in thought."how come I didn't get one ?" Bilal whines."hazel is the bride, I think only the bride and groom get one." Leila assumes."believing in fortune cookies is forbidden," I state disinterestedly.Leila chuckles. "no one is telling you to believe in it, just break the cookie and read it for fun!"heaving a solemn
I turn on the air conditioner, it's gotten too hot staying wrapped up in these heavy wedding clothes. I sit back down on imran's bed which is strewn with roses.it's I think a super awkward custom. of course, the groom doesn't decorate his bed with rose petals, his family does. which is why I think it's super awkward. since they embellish it for the supposed romance.his room is twice as big as my room back in new jersey. he's got posters of some Hollywood movies framed on his walls. I sigh and glance at the clock on the wall 12:47 AM.I've been sitting here waiting for him for the past two hours. I seriously need to sleep.however, Leila advised me to wait on him. she had said it was rude if I just fell asleep. she also assured me that it was okay to be shy on the wedding night and that I shouldn't stress over it. well, she's wrong, I feel nothing towards Imran Mirza now. absolutely nothing.what he did tonight was awful and I am fully certain he has no feelings toward me either. baba
The wrath of this potent appearing man renders me speechless for a couple of seconds. With difficulty, I tore my gaze away from his scorching eyes and look around to register in my brain what had just happened.The shattered iPhone lay across from me on the pavement. Then I realize it immediately. His phone broke because of me."Well?" His voice is low, velvety, and scathing. "Are you fucking blind?"He sounds sort of foreign yet there was also a touch of an upper-class British accent.My heart hammers like thunder against my ribcage as I glance back up at him.Strands of hair fall across his forehead from the slight breeze. His eyebrows are no longer furrowed deeply as they were a few seconds ago. Neither do the nostrils flare of his perfectly straight nose but yet his shapely jaw clenches in ire. For a split second his chiseled noble features resemble Ancient Greek sculptures depicting Adonis.I strive to search for words to say but momentarily my brain is playing amnesia with me it
HAZEL -I awaken with a sudden jolt due to the slamming of a car door in close proximity.The faint smell of cigars and expensive cologne wafts to my nose before my blurry vision has a chance to clear. I reach up to rub my eyes but my arms are bound to the back of me by handcuffs.What the fudge?!! Instantaneously I remember the park incident. Have I been abducted?I want to scream but as soon as I try to, my lips are left immovable by firmly pressed duct tape. I'm beyond terrified as I strive to shift myself out of this position by kicking my legs around, yet they too are immobilized by foot cuffs. Feeling cool leather against my palms as I press them around behind me, I realize I'm sitting on some sort of plush leathery couch."Mmph hmmnmphhh" Through the duct tape, escape my helpless muffling sobs.The haziness diminishes from my vision within a few seconds, and my eyes distend in panic at the sight before me. I'm seated in what appears to be a moving limo with black-tainted windows
Silence.Heavy unwieldy silence cloaks the atmosphere. It constricts my lungs as if I am being crushed and suffocated under massive boulders. With difficulty, I attempt to swallow back the knot in my throat. Seemingly perpetual tears leave a hot trail down my cheeks.I continue staring out of the car window aimlessly at places and people whizzing past, my back facing the man who offered a plea on my behalf a few hours ago. I am Seated in the front passenger seat, with only the two of us occupying the luxury vehicle.I hear Serge clear his throat loudly, attempting to gain my attention. I refuse to face him, only hoping he would quickly dispense me to my destination.Thanking him for coming to my rescue from his fellow Mafia friends was currently the least of my concerns.Inwardly a part of me is grateful for him showing up at the right place and at the right time. Another part of me is very much upset about the fact that he distributed details of who I am and where I reside without my
"Who da fūck that was dropping you off in the driveway?" Imran's seething question greets me as soon as I unbolt the front door and step in. He is pinning me with an incensed bloodshot gaze full of suspicion.Has he been drinking again or recovering from a hangover?I am rooted at the spot in trepidation and fear. I slump my shoulders forward and my head cast down in brisk consideration.Was he watching for me through the windows?In a fraction of a second, my mind blanks out since I don't contain a believable answer to provide him. It's beyond obvious he would display a complete lack of conviction over the truth."I see you've been whoring around already huh" He spat as he trudges towards me."Just as I suspected, you're a fūckin whore in hijab!"Instantaneously I whip my head up, my brows knit in umbrage from his resentfully dirty slander. I end up revealing the reality albeit in a shaky tone than intended. "I-I was a-abducted by dangerous people, t-they was holding me at the g-gunpo
HAZEL -"Hazel madam." Khalil's muffled words emanate through the door of the guest room. I was initially unaware he's been knocking at the door softly for 5 minutes. Until he finally decided to address me by his voice.I shift away from the window by which I was gazing out absentmindedly. Taking tentative steps, I halt at the door."Yes, Khalil?" I ask in words barely audible, a ghost of a whisper. But he manages to hear me."I'm sorry to disturb you, but Anwar sahib wishes to see you in his private study room right now." With that swift reply, I hear his feet scuttling away into the corridor. I have a dismal sigh as I sluggishly grasp the doorknob and drag myself out into the drafty corridor. Peering both left and right cautiously for Imran or Mrs.Mirza to pop up from around any corner or behind a door.I have been taking careful measures in order to avoid their adverse countenances. They don't appear to be home right now.Mildly content with their absence, I trudge forward in the di